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(Not that most of you probably do not already know many of these things, but as is the fact with many things in life, practice makes perfect, and hearing these TRUTHS over and over just might make you a better gambler, if not a better person overall.) 1. Before you place your first bet, have a strategy First and foremost you should have a strategy when you approach each week of college football betting. Think about your money management system, your budget, and how you intend to cap the games (yourself, a service, with friends) If you have taken the time to think and plan going in, you've won a good portion of the battle already. If you find the season approaching and you haven't done the planning and requisite legwork, either get to it, or skip betting. 2. Know the language of betting college football If you're making a habit of betting college football you need to know what the hell you are doing. The terms Vig, Spread, Prop, Teaser, Parlay, and the like need to be fully understood by you. 3. Understand what the hell the line really is Once you have your system, and you know the terminology, get to know what the line really is. The line is not there to accurately reflect the disparity in the talent of teams, but rather to reflect the linemaker's opinion of the public perception of the teams. In other words, the line is set to give the book or casino equal betting on both sides of the game and to insure they receive a profit. A good line for the book accurately reflects public opinion on team strength and splits the bets right down the middle. If you do not grasp this concept and its implications, DO NOT BET. REMEDIAL EDUCATION For those not grasping the line commentary above here's a quick lesson. The betting public is quite often wrong. In many instances the public tends to overvalue high profile offensive teams while undervaluing lesser known or defensive teams (Ohio State Miami in the 2003 National Championship is a great example, and to a lesser extent Juggernaut USC v. Texas in the Rose Bowl last year.) By looking at the teams, understanding the lines and the public perception that caused them, you can build a simple advantage that is all one needs to be a winner over the long term. 4. Be objective and bet for the long term You've seen and probably done this before... You hate the 'Noles, or the Bucks' or the 'Huskers, and bet against them regardless of the spread. This is STUPID! Do not let your emotions dictate your college football betting. Betting should be done unemotionaly on the teams that the bettor has determined can make him the most money. It's one thing to ocassionally bet a ten dollar wager with a pal straight up while watching a game, and another thing all together to bet that same ten dollars each week against the spread versus a team you hate. 5. Don't bet to bet and don't chase Before you sit down on Saturday to enjoy the college football landscape and your full slate of winners, make sure you have gotten your bets in, chosen your spots, and are done for the day. Do not bet just to bet. Do not chase the ACC morning loss with a quick bet on an afternoon game followed by a last gambit at the late PAC Ten game. Bet what you know and what you have researched and start again next week. Betting huge numbers of games, and making hasty bets to cover earlier losses is not the way to achieve a winning season. 6. Take your losses and get over it Don't fret over down weeks. We all have them and they make for great message board fodder. Simply analyze what went wrong, incorporate the lessons to be learned into your larger system, and get back on your horse next week. Down weeks in college football betting can be ugly. Though its easy to explain away the blocked extra point, or the backdoor cover, or that stupid fumble, hopefully with the tips above we'll make those down weeks a good deal fewer and much much further in between. ----- |
 
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